Tory Conference - October 2015

Posted by Lyn Brown5pc on November 02, 2015

The Tory Party conference in Manchester was an unedifying spectacle.

David Cameron announced in the General Election that he will serve only two terms. So, we saw wannabee Prime Ministers, strutting their arrogant stuff in front of the party faithful, endless corporate lobbyists and the media.

They’re already measuring the curtains for Downing Street. Boris Johnson played the fool, hoping laughter would obscure his dismal record in improving the lot of ordinary Londoners. The lack of affordable housing makes his unforgiveable failure all too clear.

George Osborne grotesquely declared himself the workers’ friend, whilst confirming his plans to slash tax credits for working families. Three million households will lose £1,000 a year; so much for Cameron’s promise on TV during the election, that there would be no change.

For me, the most revolting spectacle of all was Theresa May’s speech. She milked her applause from proposals to close Britain’s borders to refugees fleeing for their lives from persecution. How very chilling; Theresa May would trample all over desperate people to grab the top job.

The Institute of Directors, not a left wing organisation by anyone’s standards, said it was “astonished by the Home Secretary’s irresponsible rhetoric,” accusing her of pandering to anti-immigration sentiment and putting internal party politics ahead of the interests of the country.

Mrs May will be a frequent feature of the Commons Chamber throughout the autumn and beyond. She has five Bills going through Parliament, covering immigration, counter-terrorism, security, extremism and drugs. I fear that each Bill will degenerate into a call to the party faithful to elect her as their new leader.

I am now a member of the Shadow Home Office team and will do my bit to ensure these Bills benefit the country and not just Theresa May’s unbridled ambition.